Road material spreader



June 13, 1933. C. G. PORTERFIELD 1,913,897

ROAD MATERIAL SPREADER Filed Jan. 29, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l n V l e q I.N N; s*

o z' Q N 1 I gmx/nto@ S Po/*r/z'elgi June 13, 1933. CA G. PoRTERFsr-:LD

ROAD MATERIAL SPREADER y Filed Jan. 29, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l u i a tuYQ l l N w m V [Y a W m \n e l "l l l f I l June 13, 1933@ G. Pom-@HELD1,913,897

ROAD MATERIAL SPREADER Filed Jan. 29, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 53%/ 5 3Parier/ald f 5f t f 30 a l u Patented June' 13, 1933 PATENT OFFICE CLYDEG. POBTERFIELD, F MARION', HIO

ROAD HATmIAL SPREADER Application tiled January 29, 1931. Serial No.512,104.

This invention relates to road material spreaders, and has for one ofits objects toprovide a novel and highly eliicient machine of thischaracter which shall be especially 4 To attain the foregoing and otherobjects,

the nature of which will appear as the description proceeds, theinvention comprehends the provision of a road material spreader whichshall embody a straightedge which shall be adapted to ride or slidealong the longitudinal center or axis of a highway, front and rearmaterial spreading elements extending laterally from `the straight-edgeand so angularly related as to form the sides of an isosceles trianglehaving the straight edge for its base and having its altitude or axisintersecting the transverse center of the straight edge, and a car--iier shaft located parallel to the axis of the 95 triangle.

rllhe invention further compehends the provision of a road materialspreader of the character stated wherein the outer or rear end Lof thefront spreading element shall be 39 spaced 'from the outer or front end*of the rear spreading element to provide an opening for the' passage ofthe excess material from the front element to the rear element, andwherein the inner or rearLend of the rear element shall be spaced fromthe straightedge to provide an opening for the passage of the excessmaterial from the the rear element.

The invention further comprehends 'the 40 provision of a road materialspreader of the character stated which shall embody an 4 apron extendingforwardly from the outer ends of the front and rear spreading elementsand adapted to prevent the material from being spread outwardly beyondthe metal at the edge of the highway, whereby to ixsure the formation ofan even and straight e ge.

The invention further comprehends the provision of a road materialspreader of the character stated which shall embody a ridge bladeextending from the straight-edge rearwardly of the inner end of the rearspreading element and adapted to move the surplus material, passingthrough the opening at this en'd of this element, away from thelongitudinal axis of the highway so that it will be in the path of thespreadin elements when the road material spreader 1s turned around andagain moved over the section of the highso wa being treated.

he invention further ,comprehends the provislon of a road materialspreader of the character stated which shall embody highly eflicientmeans through the medium of which the operator may ascertain from timeto time whether the spreading elements occupy the plane necessary toprovide the highway with the required crown or elevation, and whichshall be adapted tobe secured, through the medium of its shaft, to arunning gear or other support by means adjustable to maintain thestraight edge and blades at the required angle with respect to thehorizontal or maintain them horizontally.

The invention is hereinafter fully described and claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Flgure 1 is a view inside elevation of the spreader applied to a running gear only partlyshown. y

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the spreader.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the vertical plane indicated bythe line33 of Figure 1. l

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation ofthe outer portion of thespreader. v

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the vertical plane indicated bythe line 5--5 of Figure 90 Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the vertical plane indicated bythe line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on thel L an lC-beam, and which isadapted to ride or slide along the longitudinal center or axis of ahighway. The front end 2 of the straightedge 1 is curved upwardly andforwardly to prevent it from gouging the highway and v thus insure thefree riding or sliding movement of the straight-edge. The straightedge 1is provided with a shoe or runner 3 which extends 'throughout the entirelength thereof and which is secured thereto by bolts d" having theirheads counter sunk in the lower side of the shoe.l

Spreading elements or blades 5 and 6 for the material used to reduce thehigh crown of a highway or to ill low14 spots in a highway, extend fromthe straight-edge 1 in the dire-ction of one edge of the highway. Thefront spreading element 5 extends outwardly and rearwardly from thestraight-edge, and the rear spreading element 6 extends outwardly andforwardly from the straight-edge. 'The inner or front end of thespreading element 5 is secured by a bracket plate 7 to the straightedge1 forwardly of the transverse center of the latter, and the inner orrear end of the s reading element 6 is secured by a bracket p ate 8 tothe straight-edge 1 at a point rearwardly beyond the transverse centerof the latter. The spreading elements 5 and 6 are secured /to thestraight-edge 1 at equally spaced points from the transverse center of te latter, and the spreading elements are so' angularly related as toform the sides of an isoscles triangle having the straight-edge 1 forits base and having its altitude or axis coincident with the transversecenter of the straight-edge. A

The outer or rear end of the spreading element 5 is spaced from theouter or front end of the spreading element-6 to provide an opening 9for the passage of the excess material from the spreading element 5 tothe I spreading element 6, and the inner or rear end of the spreadingelement 6 is spaced from the straight-edge 1 to 'provide an opening 10for the passage of the excess material rearwardly beyond the spreadingelement 6. The outer ends of the spreading elements 5 .and 6 areconnected together and held in proper spaced relation by a bracket 11.

rlhe spreading element 5 comprises a moldboard 5a and a blade 5b, andthe spreading element 6 comprises a moldboard 6a and' blade/66, themoldboard and blade of each aeraeov spreading element being curvedtransversely and having their concave sides arranged foremost. Themoldboards 5a and 6a; extendl from a plane located above and arallel tothe upper side of the straight-e ge 1 to a plane located between andparallel to the upper and Ylower sides of the straight-edge. The blades5b and 6b extend downwardly from the moldboards 5a and 6a to a planecoincident with the lower surface of the shoe these parts are suspendedfrom a running gear or other suitable support through the medium of ashaft 12 which is arranged with its longitudinal axis coincident withthe axis of the triangle formed by the spreading elements andstraight-edge.

The shaft 12 has angular ends, the outer end thereof passing through anangular opening 13 in the bracket 11, and the inner end thereof passingthrough an angular' opening 14 in a bracket 15 secured to and extendingupwardly from the straight-edge 1. As the ends of the shaft 12 and theopenings through which they pass are angular, the straightedge 1 andspreading elements 5 and 6 are held against any rocking movement on theshaft. e

An apron 16 extends forwardly beyond the outer ends of the spreadingelements 5 and 6,

and is secured to said end of the spreading element 6 by brackets 17 and17a. The apron 16 serves to prevent thematerial from spreading fartherthan the edge of the metal of the highway to the end Athat the highwaywill be provided with an even and straight edge. A brace 18 extends froma point near the outer end of the spreading element 5 to a point nearthe front end of the apron 16, and serves to prevent any lateralmovement of the apron.

A braceyoke 19 has its cross bar 19a positioned upon and secured at itscenter to the bracket 15, and has its arms 195 secured to the upper sideof the straight-edge 1. Braces 20 extend from the lower ends of thebracket 15 to the ends of the yoke cross bar 19a. A brace 21 is securedto the inner end of the spreading element 5 and to the yoke cross bar19a, and a brace 22 is secured to the inner end of the spreading element6 and to the yoke cross bar.

A ridge blade 23 istsecured to the straightedge 1 rearwardly of theopening 10 between the straight-edge and the inner end of the spreadingelement 6. The ridge blade 23 inclines outwardly and rearwardly from thestraight-edge 1, and is adapted 'to move the surplus material, passingthrough'the opening 10,'away from the longitudinal axis of the icospreading elements 5 and 6 when the road grader is turned around andagain moved over the section of the highway being treated.

The running gear for the road material spreader may comprise a frame 24,front or steering wheels, not shown, and rear wheels one only of whichis shown and designated 25. The running gea-r may be pulled by a tractoror propelled by a motor mounted thereon and connected to its rearwheels. The running gear further comprises draw hars 26 which arelocated below the frame 24 and which are connected at their front endsto the frame for rocking movement about horizontal axes, not shown,extending transversely and longitudinally of the running lgear. The rearends of the draw bars 26 are supported from the frame 24 by angle levers27 and links 28. The anglelevers 27 are. pivotally connected to a shaft29 mounted on the frame 24, and the links 28 are connected to the drawbars 26 and to corresponding arms of the levers. Means by which the drawbars 26, from which the machine is suspended, may be swung about theirtransverse pivot so as to raise and lower the machine, or by which thedraw bars may be swung about their longitudinal pivot so as to positionthe lower edges and the straightedge 1 and the spreading elements 5 and6 in the plane necessary to provide the highway with the requiredsurface, are connected to the other arms of the levers 27, and are underthe control of the operator located in the cabin, not shown, which maybe mounted upon the rear end of the running gear. As the running gear,the steering and operating mechanism therefor, and the lever adjustingmeans, may be ofany well-known or appropriate construction, a furtherillustration and description thereof are deemed unnecessary.

The road material spreader is `suspended through the medium of its shaft12 from the draw bars 26. The means for suspending the road materialspreader from the draw bars 26 comprises a sleeve 30 mounted upon theshaft 12 between the brackets 11 and 15, spacing blocks 31 positionedbetween and contacting with the sleeve and draw bars, ller blocks 32secured to the draw bars, and U-bolts 33.

A pair of the U-bolts 33 is provided for each of the draw ybars 2 6, andthe U-bolts of each pair are located at opposite ysides of each draw barand the blocks 31 and 32 associated therewith. The U-bolts 33 surroundthe sleeve 30 and pass through clamp plates 34 resting upon the fillerblocks 32. Braces 35 extend from the sleeve 30 to the draw bars 26, andserve to hold the sleeve, together with the carrier shaft 12 for thespreader, against any forward or rearward movement with respect to therunning gear.

A standard 36 secured to the apron 16, and a standard 37 secured to thebrace yoke 19, extend to a plane located between the running gear frame24, and draw bars 26, and are provided with longitudinal rows ofopenings 38. A bar 39 to which a spirit level 40 is secured at a pointbetween the ends thereof is located between and extends transversely ofthe running gear frame 24 and draw bars 26, and is secured at its endsby bolts 41 to the standards 36 and 37. The spirit level 40 is securedto the rear side of the bar 39 so as to render vit clearly visible tothe operator stationed in the cabin on the lrunning gear.A The lowerside of the straight-edge 1, and the lower edges of the spreadingelements 5 and 6, occupy a plane which may be horizontal or at an angleto the horizontal, depending upon whether the highway is to be providedwith a level or slanting surface, and the spirit level 40 enables theoperator to adjust the road grader on the running gear to-position thelower side of the straight-edge and the lower edges of the spreadingelements in the required plane, and also enables the operator tomaintain said side and edges in such plane.

The bar 39 occupies a horizontal Aposition whether the lower side of thestraight-edge 1 and the lower edges of the spreading elements 5 and 6are in a horizontal or inclined plane, and the provision of thestandards 36 and 37 `with longitudinal rows of openings for thereception of the bolts 41 enables the bar to be horizontally arrangedwhen said side and edges are in an inclined plane, the spirit level 40enabling the bar'39 to be readily arranged in a horizontal position.With the bar 39 in this position the operator will readily notice anymovement of the lower side of the straight-edge 1 and the lower edges ofthe spreading elements 5 and 6 from their required working plane.

In practice, the material to be used for the purpose of reducing thehigh crown of a highway or'for the purpose of filling low spots in thehighway, which material may be bituminous macadam, traiic bound or thelike, is dumped on the highway in advance of the road grader. Themovement of the spreader along the highway with its straightedge 1 inalinement with the longitudinal axis of the highway,'results in thematerial being spread first by the Spreading element 5 and thereafter bythe spreadingelement 6. The front spreading element 5 causes thematerial to flow forwardly and outwardly along the surface of thehighway. The surplus material passes from the front spreading element 5by way of the opening 9 into the path of the rear spreading elementumoved over the section of the highway being'y treated. i

Due to the angular relation of the straightedge l and spreading elementsand 6, due 5 to the fact that these parts are rockable about theircarrier shaft 12 which extends transversely of the highway, and due tothe Vfact that the working plane of these parts may be varied, thematerial will be spread smoothly and according to requirements.

The straight-edge does not serve as a runner or shoe upon which themachine slides, the machine being carried or propelled by the wheeledvehicle or running gear upon 15 which it is mounted. The straight-edgeis of considerable length and may extend both forward and rearward ofthe vehicle so that it serves vto test the evenness of the road surface.rlhe machine is designed primarily for use in crown elimination in whichwork a road which is relatively too high in the center is built up onthe sides.- The spreaders are set at the required angle to thehorizontal or transversely tilted by adjusting the standards 36 and l37,the spirit level enabling the voperator to note any departure from the.set position so that the proper corrections can be promptly made. Theroad material having been dumped in advance of the spreader 5, themachine is drawn along the road with the straight-edge traveling on thecrown and, by reason of its `length, maintaining the spreaders in properposition to effect an even spread of material irrespective of theposition of the wheels of the running-gear.- The machine may beadvantageously usedA for finishing 'or balancing sub-grades as thestraight-edgewill not permit gouging of the surface. rlhe apron 16prevents loss of ma- 40 terial from the front spreader and feeds it tothe rear spreader which is Very desirable in finishing'rough bermes orshoulders but if it appears that there is more material than is neededto obtain a. perfect shoulder, the apron may be removed and the surplusmaterial 'permitted to roll over the side slope into the ditch. y

While l have described the principle of the invention, together with thestructure which I now consider the prefer-red embodiment thereof, it isto be understood that the structure shown is merely illustrative andthat such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope ofthe invention as claimed.

What is claimed is l l. A road material spreader comprising a4straight-edge forl lengthwise sliding movement along the longitudinalaxis of a road, a rearwardly inclined front blade and a forwardlyinclined rear blade' secured to the l straight'edge and extendingoutwardly therefrom in converging relation, the straight edge extendingforwardly and rearwardly beyond 65 the inner *ends of the-blades, acarrier shaft .geraete 2. A road material spreader comprising a:straight-edge for lengthwise sliding movement along the longitudinalaxis of a road,

a rearwardly inclined front blade and afors.`

wardly inclined rear blade secured to the straight-edge and extendingoutwardly therefrom in converging relation, the straight edge extendingforwardly and rearwardly beyond the inner ends of the blades, the outerend of the front blade being spaced fromthe corresponding end of therear blade and the inner end of the rear blade being spaced from thestraight-edge to provide excess material discharge openings, meansconnected to the blades for maintaining their outerends in fixed spacedrelation, a carrier shaft arranged parallel to the axis of the triangleformed by the straight-edge and blades and secured at its outer end tosaid means, means securing the inner end of the shaft to thestraightedge, and means for suspending the shaft from a carrier.

3. A. road material spreader comprising a straight-edge for lengthwisesliding movement along the longitudinal axis of a road, a rearwardlyinclined front blade and a forwardly inclined rear blade secured to thestraight-edge and converging outwardly therefrom, the straight-edgeextending forwardly and rearwardly beyond the inner ends of the blades,the outer end of the front blade being spaced from the corresponding endof the rear blade and the inner end of the rear blade being spaced fromthe straight-edge to provide excess material discharge openings, meansconnected to the blades for maintaining their outer ends in fixed spacedrelation, a carrier shaft arranged parallel to the axis llG of thetriangle formed by the straight-edge A and blades and secured at itsouter end to said means, means securing the inner end of the shaft tothe straight-edge, and an apron extending forwardly from the outer end`of the rear blade.

4. A road material spreader comprising a straight-edge for lengthwisesliding movement along t e longitudinal axis of a road, a rearwardlyinclined front blade and a forwardly inclined rear blade secured to thestraight-edge and converging outwardly therefrom, the straight-edgeextending forwardly land rearwardly beyond the inner ends of the blades,the outer end of the front blade being spaced from theI correspondingend of the' rear blade and the inner end of the rear blade beingjspacedfrom the straight-edge to provide excessmaterial discharge openings,means connected to the blades for maintaining their outer ends in fixedspaced relation, a carrier shaft arranged parallel to the axis of thetriangle formed by the straight-edge and blades a rearwardly inclinedfront blade and a forwardly inclined rear blade secured t0 thestraight-edge and converging outwardly therefrom, the straight-edgeextending for'- wardly and rearwardly beyond the inner ends of theblades, the outer end of the front blade being spaced from thecorresponding end of the rear blade and the inner end of the rear bladebeing spaced from the straight-edge to provide excessmaterial dischargeopenings, means connected tothe blades for maintaining their outer endsin fixed spaced relation, a carrier shaftarranged parallel to the axisof the triangle formed by the straight-edge and blades and secured atits outer end to said means, means securing the inner end of the shaftto the straight-edge, and a ridge blade extending outwardly andrearwardly from the straight-edge rearwardly of the rear blade.

6. A road material spreader comprising a straight-edge for lengthwiselsliding movement long the longitudinal axis of a road, a Aarwardlyinclined front blade and a forwardly inclined rear blade secured to the4.

'straight-edge and converging outwardly therefrom, the straight-edgeextending forwardly and rearwardly beyond the inner ends of the blades,a carrier shaft arranged parallel to the axis of the triangleformedbythe straight-edge and blades, means securing one end of the shaft to thestraight-edge, means securing` the other end of the shaftto the bladesnear the outer ends of the latter, standards secured to thestraight-edge and to the outer end of the rear blade, a cross barcarried bythe standards, and a spirit level carried by the cross bar.

7.v A road materialv spreader comprising a straight-edge for lengthwisesliding moveyment along the longitudinal axis of a road, a rearwardlyinclined front blade and a forwardly inclined rear blade secured to thestraight edge and converging outwardly therefrom, the straight-edgeextending forwardly and rearwardly beyond the innerends of the blades, acarrier shaft arranged parallel to the axis ofthe triangle formed by thestraight-edge and blades, means securing one end of the shaft tothestraight-edge, means securing the other end of the shaft to the bladesnear the outer ends of the latter, a

runnin gear, a sleeve loose on the shaft, and suspen ing meansconnecting the sleeve to the running gear.

8. A machine for spreading road material comprising a single runneradapted to slide lengthwise on the road, and'spreader blades carriedthereby and extending over the road and converging towards the side ofthe road.

9. -A machine `for spreading road material comprising astraight-edge,'spreader blades secured to and converging laterally fromthe straight-edge, the outer end of the rear blade extending outwardlybeyond the outer end of the forward blade, an apron secured to andextending forwardly from the outer end of the rear blade, and a bracketrigidly connecting the forward portion of the apron end of the forwardblade and the inner end of the rear blade having its lower edgeterminating short of its upper portion and the straight-edge, and abracket rigidly connecting the outer ends of the blades.

11. A machine for spreading road material comprising a straight-edge,spreader blades secured to and converging laterally fromthestraight-edge, the outer end of the rear blade projecting outwardlybeyond the outer end ofthe forward blade, means rigidly connecting theouter ends of the blades to malntain them in fixed spaced relation,standards on the straight-edge and at the outer `end of the rear blade,a cross bar having its ends connected to the respective standards andadjustable vertically thereon, and a level car-- ried by said cross bar.

12. A machine for spreading road material comprising a straight-edge,spreader blades secured to and converging outwardly from thestraight-edge, theouter end of the rear blade extending outwardly beyondthe outer end of the forward blade, a bracket rigidly connecting theouter ends of the blades, a bracket on the straight-edge, a shaftmounted in said brackets and heldl against relative turning, a sleeveencircling the shaft, draw bars, and means engaged with the sleeve forsuspending the blade and straight-edge from the draw bars.

13. A machine for spreading road material comprising a straight-edge,spreader blades secured to and converging laterally from thestraight-edge, the outer end of the rear blade extending outwardlybeyond the outer end of the forward blade, connections between the outerends of the blades to maintain them in fixed spaced relation, a carriershaft fixed at one end in said connections and at the o posite end onthe straight-edge, draw bars a ove signature.

6 memeev between the sleeve and the drew Toms, midi securing devices etthe sies of the spacers and draw bers engaged under the sleeve wherebythe spreading machine will be suspended from the drew bars end may rockes a, unit about the shaft.

En testimony whereof I hereunto ex my GLYDE G. PURTERFIELD.

